Tuning-hammer.



No. 634,916. Patented Dot. 3, |899.

C. F. MUELLER.

TUNING HAMMER.

(Application fded Oct. 27, 1898.)k

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. MUELLER, OF ELIZABETH, NEV JERSEY.

TUNING-HAMMER..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,016, dated October 3, 1899.

Application filed October 27, 1898. Serial No. 694,665. (No model.)

To LZZ wtont t 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MUELLEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tuning-Hammers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and toletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are to secure a more firm connection of the hammer-head and its handle to more certainly prevent breakage and the consequent loss ot the handle, to secure a more easy and quick adjustment of parts during the piano-tuning operations, and to secure other advantages and results,some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved piano-tuners hammer and in the arrangements and combinations of parts ofthe same, all substantially as will be hereinafter' set forth and iinallycmbraced in the clauses of the claim,

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views, Figure l is a front elevation of the improved hammer. Eig. 2 is a central longitudinal section oi the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken at line Fig. l. Fig. at is a detail showing the threaded end of a certain shank-clamping clutch, Fig. 5 is an end view of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the' rear portion of the shank, showing a certain key or spline thereon; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view ot the same, taken on line y. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken at line e', Fig. 2, and showing more particularly certain peculiarities in the end cap or screw for steadying the shank-clutch..

In said drawings, a indicates a handle of the shape commonly employed in piano-tuning hammers,preferably made of rosewood or other strong wood, the said hammer-handle being about ten inches,more or less,in length, so as to enable the piano-tuner to grasp the same with two hands in certain piano-tuning operations. The said handle is longitudinally and axially bored out, and in the boring is tted a longitudinal core-tube h, the said tube being inserted with as great nicety ot adjustment as possible to prevent any movement ot said tube I; within said handle. The forward end of said core-tube is threaded and is screwed within the correspondingly-threaded interior ot' the handle, so as to prevent any longitudinal movement of said tube within said handle. The threaded forward extremity of said tube b projects half an inch, more or less, 'forward from the end of the handie and is at its projecting end longitudinally slotted, as indicated at c c in Figs. 4 and, the plurality of slots at the end forming lingers c', which serve to clutch or clamp the shank d of the hammer. At the projecting end the said tube is beveled or provided with inclines c, adapted to be engaged by the cooperating inclines or bearings ofthe clamp-nutj". The Iingers c have more or less resiliency, so that they may spring away from the shank d when released from the clamp-nut. Upon the said threaded extension or projecting end of the tubular core is placed said clamp nut f. This is provided iuteriorly with the inclines referred to, which engage the inclined ends ot the tube-lingers. It is also provided with threads which engage the threaded tube and is perforated to permit the passage therethrough ol the shank. Thus when said nut is placed upon said shank and upon said threaded tube and screwed upon the latter the inclines are brought into operative relat-ion to force the lingers ot the slotted tube firmly against the shank to hold the same rigidly in position, and the rigid holding is accomplished with great facility and ease without requiring the use of screw-drivers or like articles, such as have been hertotore required.

At the rear end the core is provided with a longitudinal slot or groove g to receive a key or spline 7L, the said spline being fastened to or formed on the shank d near its rear end and adapted to slide in said tube, fitting the groove so that there is no looseness permit- IOO ting of: lateral movement. rlhe said shank is thus adapted to slide longitudinally within the said tube a limited distance or until the end ofthe spline engages the forward end wall of the tube-slot. This sliding operation is accomplished only when the clamp-nutfis released from clutching engagement with the clutch end of the tube.

It sometimes becomes necessary, more especially when the wooden handle shrinks, to give greater firmness to the core-tube within the handle, and to this end I employ at the rear of the handle a steadying-nut t, which is threaded to enter the threaded rear end of the core-tube l) and tit nicely a recess in the handle. rllhe said screwt' is provided with an annular groove t" on the inner side, around the threaded shank j thereof, into which groove the core-tube b lits closely, and thus the said tube is held with greater irmness, condueing to greater steadiness and firmness of the hammer, especially7 when the latter,

with its shank d, is withdrawn.

The shank d projects beyond the projecting end of the eore-tube a distance sufficient to permit of the arrangement of the clampscrew f thereon and to receive the hammerhead 7u. At the extremity forward of said clamp-screw the said shank is provided with a thread d', upon which the hammer-head 7U' is screwed. Said hammer-head is of Ordin ary construction, having the usual forwardly-im clined arms rf' 7.1', which are provided with wrenching-sockets (shown in outlinein Fig. l) in the usual manner. The screw-thread at the projecting end of the shank is of standard size, so as to receive the ordinary hammer-head commonly provided, and thus there may be a quick interchange of heads, or -the purchaser of the handle may employ hammer-heads already in his possession.

It will be evident that the spline 7i, formed as described, by having` a long bearing in the slotted tube h gives to the shank and hammer-head a greater wrenching strength than the ordinary set-screws heretofore provided, and thus there is no danger when turning the music-pins of the hammer-head slipping in the handle and producing` an improper timing in the piano, which requires great nieety of touch and firmness of grasp of the operatingtools, as will be well understood by those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new isl. In a piano-tuning hammer, the combination with a core-tube, clamp-nut, and longitudinally-adjustable shank, of means preventing rotary movement of said shank in any of its longitudinal positions, substantially as set forth.

2. In a piano-tuners hammer, the combination of a core-tube having a longitudinal slot and grasping-lingers, a clamp-nut, and a shank sliding longitudinally in said core-tube and having a spline engaging said slot therein and preventing rotary movement ofthe shank, substantially7 as set forth.

In a piano-tuning hammer, the combination with the handle, of a core-tube fixed in said handle and having a longitudinal slot, a shank sliding longitudinally in said coretube and having a spline fitting said slot and preventing rotary movement, and means for clamping said shank against longitudinal movement, substantially as set forth.

4. In a pianoftuning hammer, the combination of a core-tube having a longitudinal slot openin g at the rear end and said rear end being threaded, a shank.longitudinally adjustable in said core-tube and having a spline engaging said slot, and a cap screwed onto said rear end of the core-tube to prevent spreading, substantially as set forth.

5. `The improved tu ners hammer having a handle, a slotted coretube interiorly threaded at its back end and exteriorly slotted at its forward end and screwed into said shankhandle, the threaded forward end projecting from said handle and where projecting having grasping-fingers for clamping the shank, a nut, a shank iitting into said tube and having a spline, and a steadying-nut at the back end of the handle engaging said tube, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of October, 1898. y

CHARLES F. MUELLER. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. PELL, C. B. PITNEY. 

